The Lion or the Tiger?
by Aaron Nowack
Summary: A short fic about Ryouga several years after the manga. My first ever fanfic, and definitely not my best work.


The Lion or the Tiger?  
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction  
by Aaron Nowack  
  
Disclaimer: None of these characters are owned by me, but are owned by  
Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue me, OK?  
  
The cyclonic winds of the Hiryu Shoten Ha gradually began to die  
down, and the bystanders slowly began to clap.  
  
"I knew you could do it, Ryoga!"  
  
"Good job!"  
  
"Shampoo congratulates lost boy."  
  
Ryoga briefly stuck out his toungue at the Amazon warrior, who  
began to laugh. "Well, Ryoga think he not lost boy any more, not since  
the last time we went to Jusenkyo," Ryoga replied with an exagerrated  
accent. The martial artist had been trying to jump into the Spring of  
Drowned Man, but had jumped in the wrong direction... into the Spring of  
Drowned Navigator. He turned to where the recipient of his new  
technique was stumbling to his feet.  
  
Ranma grimaced. "I'd almost forgotten how much that hurts."  
  
Ryoga frowned at his old rival. "I don't think I'm ever going  
to forget what it feels like to be on the recieving end of one of  
those."  
  
"That's good. It will remind you not to use the Hiryu Shoten Ha  
lightly. It's one of the most dangerous techniques I know of. Most of  
us here," Ranma said, gesturing around, "can take it, but your ordinary  
martial artist could die from one of those."  
  
"Hai, sensei." Ryoga bowed respectfully.  
  
Ranma grinned widely his student. "Hey, I'm not your sensei  
anymore. Ya learned the technique."  
  
Ryoga smiled back. A few years ago, this would have been  
inconceivable. Not only would Ranma have jealously guarded the secret of  
his most powerful move, but their conversation would likely have  
degenerated into insults and shouts of "RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!!!". As  
the group began to head back to the campsite, he turned to his friend.  
"You know, this was a good idea, to celebrate your second anniversery by  
getting all the old gang together for a training trip."  
  
"Hey, I may not be a genius or nothin', but I do get some good  
ideas sometimes. Too bad Ucchan couldn't make it, though."  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Ryoga looked around at the mountains where the  
group had encamped. "You know, I think the cave where I learned the Shi  
Shi Hokoudan is near here. Does anyone want to see if we can find it?"  
  
Ranma glanced at him. "Nah. Besides, I'm supposed to help Akane  
and Shampoo with the Moko Takabisha this mornin'."  
  
Akari, however, said, "That sounds fun, Ryoga."  
  
Akane flashed a suggestive smile at the couple. "You two  
lovebirds go off alone then, and get some... quality time."  
  
Ryoga flushed and turned to his new wife, "Yes, by all means,  
Akari, let's get some 'quality time'". It was Akari's turn to turn beet  
red. The two set off, and shortly cries of "Moko Takabisha!!!" echoed  
through the mountains.  
  
A few hours later, Ryoga turned to Akari. "I think this is it,"  
he said as he helped Akari into the cave. He grimaced as the residual  
depression from his previous visit washed over him. "Yes, this is  
definitely it."  
  
Akari smiled at her husband. "How did you learn a technique  
here, anyway?"  
  
Ryoga was more than happy to explain as the two sat down and  
began to snuggle together.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, the two were finished. As they turned to leave,  
they began to hear a low rumble. Pieces of rock began to fall from the  
ceiling. Ryoga threw Akari to the ground, covering her with his great,  
massive bulk. Shards of rock hit him as the rumble increased to a roar,  
and then to a great crash. A few minutes later, it was done, and once  
more a cave-in blocked the entrance.  
  
Ryoga looked at Akari. "Are you all right?" After she nodded,  
he continued, "I know the Bakusai Tenketsu isn't going to work, it will  
just make it worse. However, this time I already know how to get out,  
so we should be free in a minute. Akari smiled at him. He grinned back  
and turned to the cave-in. "Shi Shi Hokoudan!" He was suprised when  
only a small fizzle of ki enrgy emerged from his fingers. "OK. Let's  
try that again, and concentrate," he thought to himself.  
  
"SHI..."  
  
He thought of all the depressing things he could.  
  
You still can't beat Ranma in a fight.  
  
You can't even do your own signature technique right on the  
first try.  
  
"...SHI..."  
  
You used to turn into a pig.  
  
You still can't work up the courage to tell Akane that you were  
P-chan.  
  
Despite his efforts, a stray thought entered into his mind:  
Akari loves you.  
  
"...HOKOUDAN!!!!"  
  
The ki blast was bigger this time, but the cave-in still didn't  
budge. "DAMN IT!! How come I can't do this!!!" Ryoga sat down,  
deppressed. Then he bolted to his feet... he was feeling depressed now,  
he could do it. However, at that thought, his depression lifted. "Kami-sama, I'm  
pathetic. I can't even depress myself," he groaned as he sank to the  
floor.  
  
Akari moved up to him, putting her thin arm around him. "Don't  
worry, Ryoga. I'm sure you'll think of a way out of here." The couple  
sat in silence "What about that Moko Takabisha technique, dosen't that  
do the same thing as the Shi Shi Hokoudan?"'  
  
"Yes...," Ryoga replied cautiously.  
  
Akari cheerfully continued, "Then, you can use it to get us out  
of here!"  
  
Ryoga sadly looked down. "Akari... I...I can't. The Moko  
Takabisha uses confidence, and I'm not that arrogant. I'm... I'm just a  
no good excuse for a martial artist."  
  
Akari flinched back, and began to yell, "No! You are NOT a no  
good excuse for a martial artist. You are one of the best fighters in  
the entire WORLD. You can count the number of people who can beat you  
on your fingers! I believe in you, Ryoga. And... I love you."  
  
Ryoga began to think. Had he really changed that much in the  
past few years? The fact that he could no longer perform the Shi Shi  
Hokoudan argued yes, but could he really do the Moko Takabisha? Did he  
believe in himself enough to do that? Could he forget the past and  
build a new future for himself? He knew that that would be one of the  
hardest things he had to do in his life, to abandon the host of  
insecurities he had built for himself and proclaim to the world, "Ryoga  
Hibiki is ready to take you on!" If he could do that, he could do  
anything. He could beat anyone, he could learn any technique, he could  
win any contest, just because he would finally believe in his own  
abilities. Just like Ranma...  
  
"All right, Akari. I... I'll try."  
  
He shakingly rose to his feet and turned to the cave-in. All  
right, you can do this. Think of all the things you've done. This isn't  
so tough. You could do this all day... believe in yourself... Ryoga  
stretched out his hands, pointing to the pile of rocks.  
  
You won the last tournament.  
  
You learned the Hiryu Shoten Ha.  
  
You can do this.  
  
"MOKO..."  
  
You managed to become friends with Ranma, your greatest enemy.  
  
You can find your own way now.  
  
You don't turn into a pig anymore.  
  
"...TAKA..."  
  
He began to feel his confidence slip. He couldn't do this, he  
was going to fail. NO!! Concentrate...  
  
Akari loves you.  
  
Akari loves _you_.  
  
AKARI LOVES YOU.  
  
"...BISHA!!!!!"  
  
The blast of energy left Ryoga's hands, slamming into the cave-  
in. With a mighty roar, it bashed through the rocks, throwing them out  
of the way or vaporising them on contact. It smashed out into the  
daylight, which flooded into the cave, causing the two inside to blink.  
  
Ryoga looked down, almost unbelieving, at his hands. "I did it.  
I DID IT!!!"  
  
Akari laughed, "I knew you could!"  
  
Ryoga smiled warmly at his companion, "Without you, I never  
would have. C'mon... lets go." Together the two raced put into the  
world, ready to take whatever curves life through them, and make a happy  
life for themselves.  
  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
This one came about after reading the Shi Shi Hokoudan storyline and a  
few continuation fanfics where Ryoga gets his life somewhat together but  
still throws around Shi Shi Hokoudans like they're going out of style.  
Please let me know how you like it.  
Thanks go to everyone who commented on the version sent to the FFML.  
  



End file.
